Hello! The term "startup" is increasingly heard during economic news. It can be heard from experienced managers and aspiring entrepreneurs. What is it we will try to reveal in this article.

What is a startup

A clear definition was first given by the successful American businessman Steven Blank. Entitled "startup"(or " ) he proposed a temporary structure that is designed to search for and implement a new business model.

In simple words, this is a completely new financial project created to generate income.

The very essence lies in the translation of the term from English: the start or the beginning of the process. It was first heard from Stanford students in 1939. Young people named their business related to the development of computers. It later became known as the successful Hewlett-Packard Company. In the late 70s, the term was used in Forbes and BusinessWeek articles to describe non-standard financial projects with high profits.

The name is not suitable for all recently opened business projects. Distinctive feature- original and fundamentally fresh, which have not been used previously in a wide format. They are not copied from successful options, but represent a special look at solving problems.

The most famous startups of recent years include the Facebook project, which laid the foundation for all social networks, and the Uber online taxi service. No less striking startups at one time were the developments of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. But this is not always a large-scale and high-profile business: more often a small commercial development that has brought good profits and has become widespread.

Who are startups

Often such profitable and ingenious projects are born in a team of young people who are called “startups”. These are real pioneers with a desire for their ideas. Lacking to implement, they surprise potential investors with their developments.

Recently, such innovative projects have been increasingly presented at reputable business forums and youth congresses. Many investors themselves are interested in innovative proposals.

Distinctive features

Interesting business projects that have certain differences can fall under the name startup:

• A team of like-minded people who are result-oriented and not afraid of risk;
• It is based on an innovative idea or development not previously used by other entrepreneurs;
• Lack of own capital (in most cases) and attraction of financial investments from outside;
• The goal is always to make a profit;
• Low percentage of implemented and successful business ideas (only 15-20% of the total).

Another important feature is the rather high speed of project development: the main percentage of startups shows the first positive results in six months.

Main steps

Any new project goes through several main stages of its development, each of which has its own characteristics.:

Stage 1: Pre-seed or sowing, which is characterized by an understanding of the idea itself. The team is studying the prospects in the market and draws up an initial plan with recommendations and develop it further. Often, startups do not yet have a clear understanding of how their project will be technically implemented.

Stage 2: Launching a startup or Startup stage is the first and most problematic weeks of work. The team tries to make every effort, trying to prove the advantage of a new product or service over similar ones. To attract investment in a startup, they use various ways self-promotion. In the absence of good business acumen and perseverance, it may not arouse due interest. Many fade at this stage.

Stage 3: The growth stage or Growth Stage provides for further promotion and consolidation in the market of goods and services. At this stage, the product is already known among consumers, and work is being carried out in accordance with.

Stage 4: Expansion stage or Expansion stage: a startup is well-known, makes a profit and gradually goes beyond its niche in the market. The team becomes a real production or financial company that is engaged in the purchase of new similar projects.

Stage 5: Exit or Exit stage: in case of successful business and development of a startup, many investors leave the project at this stage, and the business itself is sold to strategic partners. If the company fails and the project fails to attract customers, the exit phase may end with the shutdown of the startup.

The most voluminous and difficult for the team is the seeding stage. It is on it that it is necessary to develop a prototype of a new product, to decide how to attract investment in a startup.

It is also divided into certain stages of development and implementation:

• Creation of a simplified product with minimal functions;
• An alpha version is being produced that can demonstrate the benefits and positive traits startup to a potential investor;
• A closed beta version for consumers is launched. It is as close as possible to the idea conceived by the startup team. The latter may invite a small number of clients interested in testing. They do preliminary analysis for free, show creators weaknesses;
• A public beta is being offered, and the team is trying to reach consumers and customers. The first contracts may be concluded and active advertising campaigns carried out.

Some profitable startups grow so fast that they skip certain milestones.

Main types of startups

Among new projects, there is a certain classification according to sales markets and features of products:

• "Successful Copy" is a whole group of successful projects that repeat the success and developments of foreign startups, supplementing them with their own details. The most successful copies are social networks;
• "Aggressive Alien"- startups of this type come to the market and try to squeeze out competitors with the help of a more attractive price, interesting product qualities;
• "A dark horse"- a special project with an unclear prospect of further development. It is difficult to calculate the expected profit in them, so they are quite risky for investors and the creators themselves.

If we consider startups by the degree of knowledge intensity, then the classification is divided into two types:

• Traditional designs: based on simple accessible ideas that the team was able to process and translate into an interesting form;
• Startups driven by innovation: this is an attempt to translate interesting and useful scientific discoveries into business projects. The only difficulty is the need for serious financial injections at the initial stage.

Main directions for development

Every year there are a lot of new innovative ideas that are of interest to potential investors. As before, the main number falls on the sphere related to the Internet, mobile communication and IT technologies. All more projects appears in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, energy, which are considered promising areas.

The owners of investment companies are happy to consider new business projects in the field of virtual reality and financial services. At this stage, technologies and ideas that make life easier for users and are associated with high technologies remain more in demand.

Startup funding

All over the world, startups are a serious part of the economy, they are of interest to eminent entrepreneurs and developed companies. Many successful projects have helped the latter expand their assets and make big profits. Therefore, they are actively looking for talented startups who can offer a non-standard product.

The bulk of new startups are financed by business angels and special venture funds. Such sponsors begin to cooperate with developers at different stages and receive part of the rights in the future company. With the successful development of the project, both parties will win.

Business angels - private investors who invest at the stage of presenting an innovative idea. They do not interfere in the management of a startup, they do not insist on an urgent return on investment. They are more interested in high profits in the long term.

More prudent investors are venture funds - companies that manage the finances of certain investors. In order not to lose their contributions, such funds approach the choice of a startup carefully, joining cooperation after studying all the prospects and features.

There are two main types of funding:

1. Postponed to stable time: the sponsor and the developer enter into an agreement indicating the stage for the start of financing and the share that the contributor will have after receiving the profit. This is a very promising option for any investor with minimal risk;
2. Rolling financing of the project: sponsors start investing at the most early stages. These are more risky projects, but they can pay off with a huge income.

In some cases, the source of the initial investment can be relatives and friends of novice startups who are ready to support enthusiasts. It is this type of investor that ranks second in Russia, financing up to 50% of all projects.

Startup support programs in Russia

Project investment in Russia is developing steadily. There are special programs and platforms that help find sponsors for development.

At the state level, assistance can be provided by:

• Russian Venture Company (Seed Investment Fund);
• Agency for Strategic Initiatives.

Among non-state companies involved in supporting start-ups, one can note:

• Runa Capital;
• ru-Net Ventures;
• Almaz Capital;
• Foresight ventures.

Each fund or platform specializes in certain projects. The percentage of the share that they will take for their financial assistance also differs.

How to attract investments

Many aspiring entrepreneurs do not know how to work with potential investors. To understand their actions and not lose trust already at the stage of acquaintance, you can use the advice of more experienced entrepreneurs:

• Find "your" business angel, which will support the project at the start. Such a partner with experience will point out possible shortcomings and help increase the value of innovation in the eyes of large investors.
• Work on business plan options. The situation on the market is constantly in dynamics, so it is recommended to submit several interesting business plans for competition. They should be aimed at investors with different levels income.
• Set up for long term work. Startups should focus on long and complex development, ups and downs. It will be better for the project if a professional or an individual member of the team will be engaged in the search for investments and the development of a financial model.
• Consider parallel options. It is necessary to negotiate simultaneously with several potential sponsors, analyze and compare proposals. Having backup options will help you stay on track if one of the investors refuses to work at the very last moment.
• It is necessary to bargain in the negotiations. Experienced entrepreneurs are advised not to blindly accept any commercial offer. Through dispute and compromise, you can get more investment, “win back” the rights to manage a startup or other privileges.
• Monitor the security of the transaction. You should not sign an agreement with a business angel or venture fund without a careful study of it by a lawyer. Just one mistake or omission can lead to loss of control over a profitable project in the future.

Attracting investors is a long process. Many successful profitable startups have been looking for their business angel for at least six months, holding more than 20 meetings with investors.

Startup Ideas

The production of new ideas and ideas is a skill that needs to be constantly worked on. Many entrepreneurs do not part with a small notebook. Interesting observations, thoughts or notes are entered into it. Later, at your leisure, each entry can be carefully considered and discussed with colleagues. Most innovative ideas are in the air, requiring implementation.

The advice of experienced entrepreneurs will help you become more receptive to new offers:

Successful entrepreneurs say that the most interesting and profitable startup ideas with minimal investment are born out of compassion for other people's problems, from the subconscious, and thanks to healthy curiosity.

But even great ideas have their drawbacks, which prevent them from being turned into a profitable startup. According to statistics, more than 90% of all projects are closed within 3 years due to an incorrectly chosen market niche or business model. Many of them have become only clones of existing programs or developments.

Well-known entrepreneurs and owners of venture capital funds in their interviews name some bad topics for work:

• Blogging to further turn them into business projects;
• Various types of micropayments;
• Projects related to scanning QR codes;
• Recommendation Internet services;
• Programs for finding places of rest.

Failure will be attempts to repeat successful developments that have already taken root in the market. Many users quickly get used to a certain product (applications, social networks or search engines), so such startups on the network can simply be ignored.

There are areas of activity where you can implement new startups with minimal investment and turn them into a profitable business project.

The owners of venture funds believe that the following areas may become the most promising and in demand:

1. Robotics that can facilitate the daily life, treatment or production activities of people. Everyone knows robot vacuum cleaners, which quickly came to the taste of many users.
2. Energy. The search for cheap and safe resources does not stop at the most famous laboratories in the world. All of humanity needs them, so an increased interest in such startups is guaranteed. There are also great prospects for non-traditional high-efficiency fuels, opportunities to obtain energy from improvised materials, household waste.
3. healthcare. For many people, high-quality and affordable medical services are still not available, so startups will always find a profitable place in the technology market for this area. Sponsors are interested in any fresh developments related to the production of equipment, new methods of treatment or reduction in the cost of production of expensive drugs. Of particular interest is the prevention of serious diseases and their early detection, which can save thousands of lives.
4. Virtual and augmented reality. Innovative ideas in this area can be actively used not only for entertainment, but also when creating simulators for doctors, drivers or rescuers.
5. Financial services. Many people are closely watching services and programs that can make it easier to pay monthly payments. All developments related to cash flow are always in the zone of increased attention of investors. Startups in this area will be of interest to large financial institutions and ordinary users.
6. Telecommunications. An inexpensive and high-quality communication method will always be a priority. Products like Skype or Viber have easily conquered their niche in the market, but consumers are closely monitoring new products, applying them in their work and Everyday life. Studying the requirements and wishes of ordinary users can lead to unexpectedly profitable projects.
7. Nutrition and green technologies. The world's population is growing inexorably, so scientists are worried about the lack of quality food for the foreseeable future. Finding fresh solutions for agriculture, processing industries can bring great benefits and benefits.
8. Enterprise software. Various programs for large and small businesses are always of interest to investors and bring good money. Consideration may be given to processing databases, digitizing internal information, or creating data protection techniques.
9. Online cinemas. More and more users prefer interesting videos and stories on the Internet to a regular trip to the cinema. The popularity of video content is growing rapidly, requiring new technologies and software.
10. Education. Users are interested in programs and innovations that improve the learning process. This makes education more accessible and simple, opening up new opportunities for remote cities. Developments in this area will always be able to find investors or business angels.

Cyber ​​security and environmental issues are still important areas. You should not stop only at high technologies: new startups can be profitable and necessary in any field. Even among a large number of competitors, you can find your niche.

Typical startup mistakes

Developing an idea is only the beginning of a complex process. In order for the project not to freeze at the initial stage, inexperienced startups should listen to the opinion of professionals.

Here is a list of common mistakes:

1. Reluctance to work in the same team. Many young professionals do not want to share the profits and fame from their projects, so they try to develop the idea on their own. But often one person does not have enough strength and time to cover all stages of development, negotiate and engage in advertising. The most original and bold ideas are born in a friendly team.
2. Orientation only on profit. Any startup requires capital investments already at the initial stage. But the really famous and highly profitable projects were those that were originally conceived as a way to solve a common problem, to help a group of users.
3. Wrong distribution of material resources. At the initial stage, you should not rent an expensive office and spend money on maintaining your image. These funds are better invested in the development of innovation.
4. Poor presentation preparation for investors. Huge massive developments, oversaturated with terminology, should not be offered. It is better to make the presentation exciting, non-standard and demonstrate your creativity. A good video should take from 3 to 5 minutes so that the viewer does not lose interest and understands the original idea.
5. Inability to work with potential investors. Aspiring entrepreneurs pay little attention to developing their knowledge in the field of investment. Therefore, it is difficult for them to find a platform for presentations.
6. Startup overload. If you want to draw more attention to your product, you should not load a new project with a lot of features. It is better to add such changes after testing by users, focusing on their preferences.
7. Lack of proper long-term planning. When working on a startup, many teams do not think about its duration. Although well-known entrepreneurs claim that a high-quality business plan in the future for 3-5 years is very important for the whole team and for potential investors.
8. Desire to cover a large segment of the market. Experts advise focusing on a narrow and specific niche in which it is easier to prove yourself and show the importance of a startup.
9. Unwillingness to work for a long time. Many innovation-related business projects require a lot of time and effort to be introduced to the market. To achieve success, you should prepare for difficulties and even falls.
10. Reluctance to seek help from specialists. Young developers often overestimate their knowledge and skills in the field of running a business project or advertising. Sometimes it’s worth inviting a good expert or turning to a service that will help correct the development of a startup and take on some of the problems.

There are many other mistakes, but in almost any situation, the fault lies with startups who have not oriented themselves in the market. Therefore, you should devote time to self-development, learning new material and.

When youth, creative thinking and the desire to earn money combine, it's time to think about creating a new idea that would be useful. modern society. The main criteria for this are novelty, social significance, usefulness. The chosen idea should be of interest, only then it will find a place under the "sun of the modern business world."

What is a startup?

The term "start up" itself is of English origin and is translated as the beginning of the process. Today, this concept defines projects at an early stage of development.

For the first time this term was applied in the USA in 1939 during the development and discovery of innovative technologies. After that, this word migrated to other areas, the main thing is that the idea is new (regardless of direction). For example, in Russia you cannot call it a startup. But Facebook, Google, Amazon are vivid examples, as they contain innovation and creativity. By the way, many well-known corporations that were presented as startups began their existence as small businesses.

The main differences and characteristics of startups

Startup is:

1. A new project that has just started its development. There are no specific time parameters during which a business is no longer considered a startup. But each of them has its own fate - one grows into a powerful business, the other simply closes due to irrelevance.
2. Idea innovation;
3. Work in a new market segment, an unusual algorithm for doing business and business processes;
4. Constant search for capital. No profitable venture will exist without monetary influences, so the essence of a startup is to find an idea that would attract investors in 2016. A lot of capital is needed to introduce and develop new ideas, so financial issues are always in the first place during the development period;
5. The rapid implementation of the chosen idea is one of the main conditions for a modern startup. Investors who have invested in an innovative project will not wait forever, so they need the result in a short time. Either the chosen startup will start to progress, receiving new sources of funding, or it will close just as quickly.

Is it possible to create a successful startup?

Examples of successful startups

A successful startup is not just a business plan with a specific algorithm of actions. The creators of such projects claim that this is a whole philosophy in which the soul of its creators is invested. Consider examples of the brightest startups.

The inscription on the sand - kind, reasonable, romantic

“A business devoid of human feelings and emotions is a dead business,” say the creators of the Sand Sign project. The essence of the idea is to create an Internet service that allows anyone to order an inscription on the sand on the beaches of Costa Rica or the Hawaiian Islands.

In order to use the service, you need to go to the site and indicate the text that will be written on the coast (up to 30 characters), or make a sketch yourself, indicating all the design features. Within 10 days you will receive the desired inscription on the sand and its photo (or video). The cost of this service is 590 rubles for a photo and 990 for a video.

Those who are not interested in developing new ideas can do.

"Social alarm clock" - business in real time

Hrachik Adzhamyan (the developer of this startup) once overslept due to workload and did not receive a visa to Germany. A few months later, he overslept again and missed his dream job interview with Yandex. This situation prompted him to create a new useful service - a social alarm clock. The bottom line is that instead of an annoying call, which most of us may not respond to at all, you will get a call. Unknown person asking to wake up. According to the creators, this is the only way to wake up the most inveterate dormouse. You can use this service today for free. But those who wish to use the social alarm clock daily can purchase a paid package in 2016, in which they can wake up with the voices of the stars or read horoscopes, news, etc.

Startup "To each other"

The developers of this idea were graduates of St. Petersburg State University. Initially, the idea was that people leave their desires, and they choose the ones they like and bring them to life, giving joy to others. But it was not possible to cope with such a flow of desires, so the project was transformed, and the registered users of the project themselves embody each other's desires.

The project "To each other" is innovative and meets the modern realities of Russia. The essence of the idea is aimed at the fact that it is possible not only to fulfill dreams, but also to help in the search for someone who will fulfill them. The initial capital required to implement such a business is $50,000.

"Button of life" - help to relatives

According to statistics, 30% of older people over the age of 65 fall at least once a year, some of them are not able to stand up on their own. The theme of supporting loved ones became the basis for the creation of the Life Button startup. This project combines a call center, website and software that helps to monitor the elderly and help in difficult times.

How it works:

• instant signal reception in the call center if the company's client is in trouble;
• calling an ambulance to the place where the signal was received;
• informing relatives about the incident;
• storage of information about diseases, allergies, medical assistance call histories.

"Life Button" is also a powerful monitoring system that helps to determine the location of a person. Elderly people are the most vulnerable, they are often lost, they can forget the address or be robbed.

Now everyone can help their elderly relative, if it is not possible to constantly be with him. The cost of such a service depends on the chosen package and is 200-1100 rubles per month.

"Super bowler" - we ask everyone to the table

The idea of ​​the "Super Pot" is simple and straightforward. Any person who has the potential and passion for cooking can cook their favorite dish, take a picture of it and post it on the company's website super-marmite.com, describe a "culinary masterpiece". After that, the cost and the address where you can buy it are indicated. All that remains is to wait for bold and hungry customers who are not against culinary experiments.

Stages of startup development

Each business project in Russia has its own development path. If you don't know, you'll probably go with the standard methods.

Since a startup involves an innovative idea, the algorithm for implementing and developing a small business can be different, not always logical. But at the same time, it is worth highlighting the overall development strategy, which consists of the following stages:

1. Idea creation. At the first stage, the idea of ​​the provided product or service is formed, hypotheses are built about the significance for people, ways of promotion.
2. Testing. The chosen direction is checked, the potential client base is analyzed, a presentation is created and a business plan is drawn up.
3. Search for an investor. An individual who seeks profitable start-ups and directly provides capital to such early-stage start-ups is called an angel investor. Your task is to present the project in such a way as to find interested people who will agree to finance a startup, for example, by providing a radically new look.

After the launch of the project, the main task is to interest a potential buyer, to promote your services or goods. The main problem at the start is the lack of demand for products. Therefore, at the very beginning it is recommended to analyze beneficial features selected material, evaluate its availability and relevance.

Who can support a startup in Russia?

All developed countries allocate funds in 2016 to support and develop start-ups, as each of them can create economic growth in the future. The most advanced country in this direction is the United States. It has a large number of business schools, technoparks, universities, venture funds that are constantly “hunting” for new ideas and developing small businesses. Russia is a little behind in this direction. But in 2016, there are a number of companies, associations that are interested in financing profitable projects:

• National Association of Business Angels. On their official website, you can find a list of business angels (private investors) who are developing startups.
• National Commonwealth of Business Angels. Visit their website and read expert recommendations, apply for funding, and become a member of a business incubator (specialized programs for small business development).
• Skolkovo Investors Club;
• SOBA (National Commonwealth of Business Angels of St. Petersburg).

There are well-known private investors who are considering cooperation proposals with creative young people. These include Alexander Aivazov, Alexander Vashchenko, Andrey Golovin, Dmitry Maslenikov, Vadim Kulikov, Leonid Volkov, Mikhail Paulkin, Sergey Gribov and Sergey Zhukov.

Having contacted one of the investors, get ready that you will have from 1 to 5 minutes to present the idea. As a rule, business angels are not interested in diagrams and graphs at the first meeting. Their task is to find out the essence of the project, to evaluate its profitability. Therefore, they prepare a small presentation for 10 slides, a teaser (description on 1 page) and a financial plan with them.

Save the article in 2 clicks:

A startup is an innovative idea that is becoming a great prospect for entrepreneurial and resourceful people who do not have the financial means. The dynamic sphere of business in Russia, like in other countries, is oversaturated, it is dominated by the laws of fierce competition and constantly changing demand. That is why innovation and creativity are valued in 2016. A startup gives rise to new directions, becomes socially significant for society, and, most importantly, opens horizons for ambitious businessmen. The key advantage is accessibility. You can find investors both in Russia and abroad. The main thing is to find a really profitable idea and build a competent plan for its promotion.

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Today we'll talk about what is a startup. Recently, this term can be heard quite often when it comes to business or investments, so I decided to dedicate a small series of publications to it on Financial Genius. Today there will be the first introductory article from which you will learn what a startup is and why it is interesting for a businessman or investor. About all this in order.

Startup(from the English. start up - “launch”) - this is a newly created or still in the process of creating a company. The term startup implies that a company has a certain business idea that it wants to develop and promote on the market, but is still only engaged in market research and searching for ways to promote its idea, including funding sources.

Startups are also understood as projects that develop under conditions of uncertainty, develop new products or services, are at the stage of searching for optimal business solutions and need capitalization (financing).

The classic concept of a startup refers to companies in any field of activity, but there are more specific interpretations of this term. For example, many people think of a startup as exclusively high-tech products, venture (high-risk) business in the field of IT technologies, business on the Internet.

The term "startup" itself originated in the United States in the late 30s of the last century, when two American students Hewlett and Packard organized their small company called "start-up". Over time, the company has developed to a global scale, and today we know it as Hewlett-Packard (HP).

In our country, when they talk about startups, they usually mean Internet sites that differ from others by some kind of “zest”. As examples of startups that have received the widest development, the most popular social networks (VKontakte, Facebook, Odnoklassniki), the largest video hosting Youtube, the Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia, the quick messaging service Twitter, etc. are often cited. It is understood that startups differed from many other Internet projects in some new and special ideas, which helped them develop to such a scale. Although in reality this is not always the case.

In the world, the concept of a startup is much broader. The most successful examples of startups are Google, Microsoft, Apple. These are no longer just Internet sites, but the largest corporations, which, nevertheless, once started with a simple idea and were brought to life. ordinary people fascinated by this idea.

Startup signs.

Since the concept of a startup, as you can see, is rather vague, let's highlight the main characteristic features of a startup, which most modern businessmen and investors rely on.

1. Creation of a new product. Most often, startups imply some absolutely innovative business ideas, or significantly improved existing ones. In this way, they can seriously compete even with powerful corporations, which, on the contrary, are more often focused on the production of the existing range of goods and services, only slightly improving them, but without thinking about a radical change. Therefore, a startup is always, in fact, a step into the unknown.

2. The main factor in creating a startup is a business idea. in the traditional sense, too, of course, begins with an idea, but there it does not play such a big role. The idea for a startup itself can cost a lot of money if it is promising, while a lot of banal business ideas can be found for free on the Internet, even with ready-made business plans.

3. The founder of a startup is usually young. All successful startups were created by "fresh brains" - young people, often students. Statistics show that average age start-up creator - 25 years. For this reason, in the world, startups are often called the “garage business”, since earlier students, having nothing to their hearts, developed their business ideas by gathering in garages.

4. All or nothing. The creator of a startup is always overly passionate about his idea, he believes in it and is ready to take any, even unjustified risks to implement it. at any cost - that's the main thing for a startup.

5. Gathering of a team working for an idea. Starting a startup alone is a difficult task. Therefore, startups are often created by groups of young people united by a common idea (even if the authorship of the idea belongs to one of them). For example, one person is developing an idea, another is planning to create a business based on it, a third is looking for suppliers, a fourth is buyers, a fifth is investors, etc. Moreover, they are all passionate about their business and work for future potential profits, without receiving any income from it immediately.

6. Lack of funding. And, finally, the main characteristic feature of a startup is the lack of sufficient capital to implement a business idea, or even its complete absence. This is quite logical: the idea is created by a young man who has not yet earned anything, so he needs investors who will believe in him, invest their money and allow him to realize his plan. For a significant percentage of the profits, of course.

Startup types.

There are several such classifications. First of all, I propose to single out the types of startups by the nature of the product and the sales market:

1. "Startup clones". This includes domestic developments that repeat successful global projects. Such startups have repeatedly proven their promise, take, for example, the same social networks.

2. "Dark Horses" Launching completely new projects in an as yet unexplored market. Such startups are both the most risky and the most potentially profitable.

3. Market Invaders. Startups of this type involve the introduction of a new product into an existing market and the exclusion of competitors, or the allocation and capture of a new segment in the market. Such an idea can be realized, for example, by developing a product or service with a good price advantage.

You can also distinguish types of startups by the level of knowledge intensity:

1. High tech startups. That is, in fact, the transformation of scientific research into business. Potentially, such startups are very profitable, but, on the other hand, they require the most extensive funding available only to large investors.

2. Startups that do not require high technology. The well-known principle “Everything ingenious is simple!” can be successfully applied to the creation of startups. History knows many examples when simple and easy-to-implement ideas brought huge money to their creators. Whole line similar cases described in the article.

Stages of startup development.

There are 5 stages of startup development.

1. Sowing stage (Pre-seed stage). At this stage, a business idea is born, general technical methods for its promotion on the market are developed. A startupper studies the market, draws up a startup business plan, some technical task, creates a prototype of his product, alpha and beta versions, tests them, studies demand and searches for investors. If the investor is still not found, the startup implementation ends there, the project does not receive wide development. Unfortunately, this is what happens in many cases.

2. Startup stage. If a source of funding has been found, the first serious launch of the product to the market occurs. The product falls into market conditions and enters into a struggle with competitors, whose positions at this stage are always stronger. Therefore, it is also not so easy to overcome the launch stage: it requires perseverance, creativity, business acumen ... Yes, a lot of things. At the same time, this stage is the most risky for an investor, because if a startup does not find the desired demand, it will lose its money.

3. Growth stage. Dealing with competition New Product begins to be in demand and moves towards the complete capture of the market niche that was assumed by its developers. At this stage, the product can already break even and bring investors their first profit.

4. Expansion stage. The company achieves its initial goals and begins to promote its product further, conquering new markets. It is already confidently “standing on its feet”, has a popular, well-promoted brand, the profit from the startup is growing steadily.

Advantages of a startup for a businessman and investor.

A startup as a way of earning is interesting both for its creator and for an investor. Each of them can get their own financial benefit from this, but the main risks, of course, are borne by the investor. On the other hand, he can earn much more.

Creating a startup from the point of view of a developer is an opportunity to realize your business idea, achieve success, do your favorite, self-created business for your own pleasure and get a good income from it.

From an investor's point of view, a startup is an opportunity to increase your capital well by investing in a business at an early stage and selling it at the stage of maximum development, when it costs many times more, or keep it as a stable source of passive income.

The distribution of income from the implementation of the project between the investor and the startup takes place on a contractual basis. The main part of the income is most often taken by the investor, because he finances the project and risks his money. As a rule, the developer of the idea is left with no more than 5-10% of the profit, but when implementing a grandiose idea, this money may be enough to become rich and financially independent.

This was the initial, introductory information about what a startup is. In further publications on I will take a closer look at how to make money on startups as an author of an idea and an investor, so stay tuned and stay tuned. Also on this site you will find many other interesting ideas for earning and investing, you will be able to improve your financial literacy and learn how to competently manage personal finances. See you soon!

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Good day! Today we will tell you in detail everything about newfangled Startup projects, while sharing not only theoretical, but also practical knowledge.

In this article, you will find information on how you can independently discover your “gold mine”, competently launch a business, and get the maximum benefit from it.

What is a startup project?

We will analyze the definition of a startup in simple words so that no further questions arise. Startup is a concept of English origin, which in translation sounds like “beginning”.

Startup (startup) - new technologies that have not been implemented by anyone before.

In Russia, a start-up business is often called the launch of any entrepreneurial project, but this is not true. If you open another online store or a shawarma pavilion, that is, you use previously discovered ideas, this is no longer a startup. There is also a common misconception that this term characterizes the beginning of business development on the Internet, which is also erroneous.

Most often, the definition of startup is applied to new business projects, which are based on a previously undiscovered idea that promises massive demand and high incomes. Most often, such projects include those related to the development of technology.

For example, one of the most famous such initiatives (start-ups) is the development of the Facebook social network by Mark Zuckerberg. He used a completely new idea that made him a very rich man. Then many more similar projects appeared - Odnoklassniki, Vkontakte, etc. But this was already a "walk" along the trodden path. “Telegram” is, by the way, already something new.

Another feature of a startup is that most of these projects start with small investments and are a kind of "test", and only then, when the financial potential of the business idea becomes clear and investors are found, can we talk about expanding the project.

For example, let's imagine that there are public and private clinics in your city where you can take a blood test. And then one of the patients, heading to the laboratory in the morning, thinks, “What a pity that there is no service that, albeit for a fee, would come to my house or office, thereby saving my time.”

And then comes the insight “Why don’t I create such a paid service?”. Using his savings or taking a loan from a bank, such a person hires a couple of nurses, leases a car and equipment, or rents it in someone else's laboratory. Having started work, he sees that the flow of customers is growing, and armed with this information, he finds an investor and expands the business. Or it closes, remaining at best with some property, the price of which will cover all expenses, or it becomes bankrupt.

Historical information about start-ups

Considering that StartUp is based on extracting profit from a previously undiscovered idea, it is not possible to trace the origin of this type of business, since it accompanied humanity throughout the entire period of development.

We can only say that this term was first voiced in America at the beginning of the 20th century, where young people who created their own business decided to call it that way. It's about about the founders of the famous company H-P working in the field of information technology.

The basis of a successful startup is a good idea!

There are four basic rules to follow when choosing an idea:

1. History shows that most of the people who created such innovative projects were not experienced businessmen, but at the same time they were professionals in their field, which helped them understand what service or product would be in demand by the consumer. Therefore, do not consider areas in which you are poorly versed in doing business, work in an area where you are competent. That is, if you are a doctor, do not try to come up with a project related to transport or food sales.
2. Carefully follow the latest market news, perhaps they will become the starting point for your business. Suppose that it was the rapid growth of the lending institution that served as the starting point for the opening of the Capital One foreign project, which offers remote issuance of credit cards. This is a bank that does not spend money on branches, offices and maintains a minimum staff. Clients remotely fill out loan applications, and if they are confirmed, the courier arrives at the borrower's office or work, checks the passport and gives the bank card. This approach allows the bank to significantly save money, and accordingly increases the amount of net profit. In Russia, for example, the Tinkoff bank subsequently began to work according to the same scheme.
3. Think one step ahead. You should be interested not in what people need now, but in what they will need tomorrow. Constantly improve your skills and follow the new trends. At one time, three employees of the company "PayPal" developed and implemented the idea of ​​high-quality transmission of video data in large volume. So one of the most famous projects of the Internet network "YouTube" was born, which made them very rich people. And now, despite the fact that this video hosting has been operating for more than 11 years, it continues to gain popularity. That is, the creators of YouTube at the time of its launch were already well aware that the pace of life is growing, technologies are developing, the Internet audience is expanding and hosting where you can store and watch any video clips will be in great demand. And so it happened.
4. A project that is guaranteed to bring profit should be based on an idea that will simplify a person’s life, make it more comfortable, or save money. Look around, think about what annoys you personally, and what solutions to this problem you could offer. For example, the well-known Internet platform Flickr was created to serve one of the Internet games for the convenience of gamers. Now everyone has long forgotten about this, but Flickr has remained one of the most popular sites for storing graphic information.

And another very important point- it is better to give preference to the area that will allow you to retain copyright on the idea and, accordingly, receive the main profit from it.

A simple example, millions of mothers around the world are grateful to the man who came up with the idea of ​​opening cafes with children's areas in shopping centers so that they can leave the kids and go shopping in peace.

The idea is really wonderful, but an unlimited circle of people can use it and receive income. And remember Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, who became a fabulously rich man ...

Finding funds for your business

For many people starting their own business, a big problem is the lack of funds to start it. In Russia, most start-up entrepreneurs, as a rule, either ask their family members for them or apply for loans in banks.

But in this situation, there is another way out, you can contact one of the venture funds. These organizations are engaged in investing financial resources of insurance companies, depositors, as well as pension or mutual funds.

You can also apply to people who are already running their own successful business. Among them are the so-called "financial angels", those who are willing to invest in the development of an idea that they find commercially viable.

At the same time, try to attend specialized forums and conferences, where you can also meet people who are ready to invest in your business.

Stages of development of a Startup project

• The grain is the stage at which you have already formed an idea, but have no idea how you will implement it.
• Sowing is the development of a plan for bringing the project to life, including the preparation of a clear estimate.
• A prototype is the creation of a business project template that works in the most favorable conditions.
• Alpha version - testing the pilot model by a focus group to identify flaws, followed by their elimination.
• Closed beta - here your business is already fully ready to launch, you have found the necessary funds and offered it to potential consumers.
• Open beta version - at this stage, the advertising campaign begins, the first customers appear and the first profit.
• Mass character. Now your startup reaches a large number of customers and, accordingly, begins to generate a large income.

Looking around, you will see many successful startups that once also started from scratch. These are freight and passenger transportation operating through Internet applications, opening home kindergartens, working as an intermediary in the sale of things by individuals on ad sites, creating applications for online stores, various electronic payment systems: Yandex.Money, Qiwi etc.

Such examples can be cited from any sphere of life. The main thing here is not to be afraid to take reasonable risks.

And if you feel that some idea can bring you a good income, then try to work in this direction, and it is likely that after a few years, you will push one of the people on the Forbes magazine list!

Startup(from English. start-up- launch) is such a company, an Internet project with an ambitious, innovative idea and promising product. Basically, a start-up is a name given to young firms and mobile enterprises with limited resources that have been created recently or are still in the process of founding and developing.

The term startup is used in all areas of activity (or offline), but it is more common in the world wide web (websites) and the IT industry. Young companies in an industry such as high technology are commonly referred to as high-tech startup. Startup platforms in the IT field are companies that do not preach aggressive marketing tools and PR methods in the direction of the rapid development of the company.

Startup what is it

The first time the concept of a startup was applied in Silicon Valley in 1939, two graduates of Stanford University created startup company Hewlett-Packard, which later became a giant in information technology. Now, what a startup is, every Internet entrepreneur and a person who has decided to implement his grandiose, new project knows.

Venture investments of the USA, Europe and Ukraine with Russia:

Differences between an ordinary company and a startup:

Investments

The financial foundation for the development of any startup or company is the initial investment - financial resources. The difference is that in most companies the initial stage of development is overcome not at the expense of their own cash savings, but at the expense of bank loans, venture capitalists or investors (for example: Sean Parker, Yuri Milner, and now Pavel Durov), this is how the advertising company gained huge momentum Coca Cola. In startups, everything is different, the first investment in the formation of a young project is the cash of the founder or startup.

Launch and development speed

Basically, the average time for founding a company is 5-6 months, and if it is a high-tech company - up to one year. The creators of an innovative business, in most cases, do not have a large amount of time resource, and therefore, preparation, prototype, launch and development are very fast.

innovative idea

At the heart of any startup must be unique idea, or tangible innovation (for example: Chupa Chups). The creator of any product, product or service must be a pioneer in their field in order to become a successful startup or significantly change an existing product. Examples of such an approach to business are such brands as: social networks Linkedin and Facebook; video hosting YouTube and Vimeo. It is the new and useful that always captures, and the high cost is not a hindrance.

Small chance of success

According to statistics around 70% young start-ups cease their activities in the first year of their existence, they do not live up to their second birthday yet 40% trends. Young ambitious firms are quickly founded, as quickly as most of them, in the event of a series of failures, stop their activities.

IPO - public sale

Most of the founders of start-up companies, already at the foundation of their business project, see their ultimate goal - IPO, public sale of shares.

The best startups in the world

Wikipedia

• Launched: January 2001
• Creators: Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger
• Type: Information Internet Encyclopedia
• Audience age: 10 to 80 years old
• Number of users: 85,000 active
• Views per month: 10 billion

In contact with

The most promising industries for creating start-up projects in the next five years:

Successful startup entrepreneur

Sean Parker is a successful startup entrepreneur, a person who notices and gives meaning to much that the rest of the world perceives as fleeting and not at all important. Sean concentrates all his efforts in breakthrough directions and creates really useful blockbusters.